Improved output voltage of 0–3 cementitious piezoelectric composites with basalt fibers

Abstract In this paper, basalt fibers (BF) was employed as high modulus component with good interface bonding with cement matrix to enhance local stress applied on piezoelectric ceramic particles in 0–3 cementitious piezoelectric composites (0–3 CPCs). The effect of content of BF varying from 0.00 vol% to 0.23 vol% on the mechanical, piezoelectric and dielectric properties of 0–3 CPCs and the output voltage of 0–3 CPCs sensor was evaluated. The results showed that amplitude of output voltage of the 0–3 CPCs sensor with 0.12 vol% BF maximized at 4.98 V, which was 60.0% higher than that of the 0–3 CPCs sensor without fibers for the compact structure of the 0–3 CPCs and good interface bonding between BF and cement matrix as a reason of good stress transfer in the composites. While the split tensile strength, piezoelectric voltage constant (g33), piezoelectric strain constant (d33), relative dielectric constant (er) and dissipation factor (tanδ) was 13.1 MPa, 11.36 × 10−3 V m/N, 43 pC/N, 430.0 and 0.43, respectively. It provided a novel method to improve the mechanical-electrical response of piezoelectric sensor by enhancing local stress applied on piezoelectric ceramic particles in the piezoelectric composites.